Essex man guilty of spying for fake Russian agents

A British man who "dreamt about being like James Bond" has been found guilty of trying to spy for what he believed to be Russian intelligence service agents. Howard Phillips, 65, from Harlow, Essex, intended to help two apparent Russian agents called "Sasha" and "Dima" by passing on personal information about former defence secretary Sir Grant Shapps.

The jury at Winchester Crown Court reached a unanimous verdict on Tuesday following four hours and four minutes of deliberations. Phillips was convicted under the National Security Act of assisting a foreign intelligence service.

Undercover operation exposed plot

However, "Dima" and "Sasha" were actually undercover British intelligence officers conducting a sting operation. Phillips had planned to help the agents with travel logistics and booking hotels, unaware he was dealing with British operatives.

Phillips, wearing a dark suit and tie, silently shook his head in the dock as the guilty verdict was delivered. The defendant's ex-wife Amanda Phillips told the court during the trial that he "would dream about being like James Bond" and watched films about MI5 and MI6 because he was "infatuated with it".

Border Force job application

Mrs Phillips revealed she was aware the defendant had applied for a job at the UK Border Force in October 2023. Prosecutors argued this application was part of his broader attempt to assist Russia's intelligence service.

Phillips had previously claimed he contacted the Russian embassy in early 2024 in a bid to track and expose Russian agents to assist Israel. However, the court found him guilty of the espionage charges.

Sentencing postponed until autumn

Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb remanded Phillips in custody following the verdict. She adjourned sentencing to the "earliest available date" in the autumn.

(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.